Automobile lock knob



Jan. 29, 1957 F. P. TAYLOR AUTOMOBILE LOCK KNOB Filed Oct. 4, 1952 Ji il Fig).

INVENTOR. 4 FRA/wru/w? 7T4 VL OR @auq MIMY ATTORNEYS.

United States AUTOMOBILE LOCK KNOB Franklin P. Taylor, Bulfalo, N. Y., assignor to J. M. Cranz Company, Inc., Buifalo, N. Y.

This invention relates to automobile door locks and more particularly to a lock control mechanism for use with standard type automotive door locks.

A majority of the automobile door locks in used today are controlled by a vertically reciprocable rod member which projects through the window sill molding and when in its lower position prevents unlatching movement of the lock mechanism. Such lock control members are usually arranged to be automatically raised to the unlocked position when the inside door handle is operated so that the door may be unlatched for opening. Thus the lock control mechansim otters no resistance to opening of the door from the inside, and so locking of the doors provides little or no safety for children who might operate the door handle and be injured by falling from the automobile.

Another type of lock commonly in use today is similar to that described above but includes an irreversible mechanism whereby the lock control knob cannot be raised by operation of the door handle. This arrangement, while providing some protection for children, is subject to circumvention because it is relatively easy for the children to manually raise the knob to its unlocked position whereupon they may operate the door control handle and fall from the car.

The present invention provides an improved lock control mechanism whereby the door cannot be unlatched from the inside while the lock control knob is secured in locked position, and wherein a specific disengaging movement is necessary before the knob can be raised to unlocked position. In the preferred embodiments thereof, the lock control of the invention offers a certain amount of resistance to this disengaging movement, which is preferably a snap action, thereby affording additional protection against accidental disengagement from locked position.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved automotive lock mechanism.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved automotive door lock control knob which is adapted for use in present lock installations.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved automotive door lock control which is adapted to be secured in locked position to render the inside door handle inoperative. An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved latch control knob as aforesaid which operates with a snap action whereby disengagement of the same by children will be rendered less likely.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and from the draw ing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary cross section of an automobile door having a door lock equipped with a lock control knob in accordance with the invention, the knob being shown in unlocked position;

Fig. la is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the atent O ice door window sill of Fig. 1 with the lock control member removed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the control knob of the invention in door locked position;

Fig. 3 is similar to Figs. 1 and 2 with the control knob in knob secured position;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary elevation views of the door and lock mechanism in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, respectively;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the illustrated lock control knob; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken about on line VIII- VIII of Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated as applied to an automobile door 10 which is equipped with the usual window 12 and has a lock mechanism 14. The lock 14 has a latch part 16 which engages a keeper 18 in the door jamb 20, the latch being normally operable by inside and outside door handles (not shown), the inside of which is operable to unlatch the lock through a link 22. In accordance with common practice, a lock control part 24 is provided with a control. rod 26 which is vertically reciprocable between an upper or unlocked position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and a lower or locked position as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 so that when in locked position the control rod positions the control part 24 to prevent operation of the latch by the outside door handle. Door locks of this general type wherein the control rod is automatically moved to unlocked position by operation of the inside door handle or wherein the control must be moved to unlocked position manually, are in very wide use and so no internal details of the lock mechanism are shown.

In accordance with the present invention the lock control rod 26 is provided with a control knob 28 which is mounted thereon to be vertically reciprocable therewith as by threads 30 and is adapted to be secured in locked position so that the control rod 26 cannot be raised to unlocked position either by operation of the inside door handle or by simple lifting of the knob. To this end, the knob 28 is arranged to be rotatable with respect to the window sill molding 32, as by means of the threads 30, and is provided with a cam lug 34 which may be engaged with the window sill portion or molding 32 when the knob and the control rod 26 operable thereby are in their lower or locked position. This securement is brought about by rotation of the knob 23 so that the cam lug portion 34 engages the window sill member 32, and in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, advantage is taken of the sloping nature of the knob receiving sill molding hole 36 as found in many present-day automobiles to facilitate securement of the knob 28 in locked position without use of a special lug engaging part. Thus, as shown in the drawing, the cam lug 34 is formed with its molding engaging portion of maximum radial extension 33 at one side of the knob 28 and tapers toward the other side of the knob where it merges into the knob surface at 40. Therefore, the knob and its flat surface at 40 can pass downwardly through the knob receiving hole 36 to the locked position, as shown in Fig. 2, without interference, and then the knob can be rotated relative to the window molding until the raised lug portion 34 engages under the hole edge 42 as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. During such rotation it will be seen that the enlarged molding engaging portion 38 of the lug 34 must pass the side portion 44 of the knob receiving hole 36 and it is preferred that the portion 38 have suflicient radial extension relative to the play between the knob and the knob receiving hole 36, so that a binding resistance is encountered as the side portion of the hole is passed, which tends to'prevent accidental return rotation of the knob from its secured position.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the knob 28 is made of a resilient material such as resilient plastic or rubber of about 70 Shore durometer hardness so that the binding resistance referred to becomes a snap action and maximum advantage can be taken thereof, the elastic material of the knob permitting resilient displacement of the lug surface radially inwardly as it is forced past the side portion 44 of the hole 36. Also, it is preferred that the lug 34 be of generally spiral form as shown, so that the screw thread action provided by the spiral will facilitate passage of the lug through the hole. The plane of the lug 34 may also be sloped upwardly toward the enlarged molding engaging portion 38 as shown, to provide an additional shake-proof wedging action, if desired.

The spiral form of the cam lug 34 and the resiliency of the knob, as shown, have the additional utility of adapting the illustrated knob to use as a replacement or universal part which will fit most current automobile door lock assemblies. Thus, in installations where the knob receiving hole is horizontal, the screw thread action of the spiral cam lug form will feed the lug through the hole, and the preferred resiliency of the part will facilitate such passage.

Once in the secured position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the control knob of the invention prevents upward movement of the lock control rod 26 so that the inside door handle cannot be operated, thereby insuring that children will not accidentally operate the latch to open the door whereby they might be injured. Further, the control knob of the invention requires a specific rotary manipulation to release it from secured position such as would not be likely to be made by small children. In the preferred embodiment, the knob must be rotated through an intermediate position of increased frictional resistance in the unlocking operation, thereby providing additional protection against unintended release of the knob from its secured position by a child or by vibration forces.

The lock control knob of the invention may be readily provided as initial equipment on automobiles or may be installed as a replacement knob on a great majority of the present-day automobiles. The resilient nature and spiral shape of the preferred embodiment are such as to cooperate with a wide variety of existing door moldings. Where desired, the knob and its locking lug 22 may be made from rigid metal or hard plastic, and the knob receiving hole may be modified, if necessary, to cooperate with the knob formation.

' When secured in locked position, the lock control knob of the invention engages the knob receiving hole or similar fitting to prevent unlocking movement of the control rod. This engagement may be primarily at the rear portion of the hole as illustrated or elsewhere therearound, according to the shape and altitude of the hole. Thus, in an oval shaped hole, for example, the main knob securing engagement may be at the sides.

The lock control of the invention is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, while being easily incorporated with existing or new lock installations. In its secured position, it operates to prevent accidental opening of the door by the inside handle and, further, is resistant to accidental disengagement from that secured position.

While only one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited but may be otherwise embodied within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A manual control knob for an automobile door lock comprising, a body part having a grip portion and a generally cylindrical shank, and lug means of generally spiral form projecting radially from said shank, said shank and lug means being of resilient material, said lug being merged gradually into the shank surface at the 4 ends of the spiral, said knob being internally threaded from the shank endfor attachment to a lock control rod.

2. A manual control knob for an automobile door lock comprising, a body part having a grip portion and generally cylindrical shank, and an eccentric lug projecting radially from said shank at one side thereof and merging into the shank surface at the other side thereof, said knob being internally threaded from the shank end for attachment to a lock control rod, said knob consisting of resilient material of approximately '70 Shore durometer hardness.

3. in an automobile door, a molding having an aperture, a door lock having a manually operable lock control member projecting through said aperture and mounted for reciprocation between door locked and unlocked positions and for rotation between secured and unsecured positions, said lock control member having a part pro viding a generally annularly disposed lug surface prejecting radially therefrom for interlocking engagement with said molding at said aperture against door unlocking movement, said lug surface being aligned at one of its ends at an angle to the plane of said molding at said aperture when in said unsecured position, said control member comprising means resiliently mounting said lug surface for inward displacement, whereby rotary movement of said control member between unsecured and secured positions resiliently displaces and feeds said lug surface through said aperture.

4. An a'nutomobile lock control knob comprising, a body having a manual grip portion and a generally cylindrical lock control rod receiving shank portion, said knob comprising elastic material, and a generally annularly disposed lug of generally spiral form projecting radially from said shank, said lug having the opposite ends of its spiral form merged gradually into the shank surface and spaced to provide an unbroken longitudinal surface and a tangentially clear portion at one side of said shank, whereby upon rotation of the knob the lug may be fed through a knob shank embracing lock control aperture in an automobile door molding to and from engagement in an axially secured position therebehind with accompanying elastic distortion of the knob.

5. An automobile lock control knob comprising, a body having a manual grip portion and a generally cylindrical shank portion, and an eccentric lug projecting radially from said shank with its maximum extension at one side thereof and merging gradually into the shank surface at the other side thereof, said lug having its ends tapered axially of said shank portion and being of generally spiral form with the general plane of its upper surface sloped upwardly toward said maximum extension, said knob consisting of resilient material of approximately 70 Shore durometer hardness and being internally threaded from the shank end for attachment to a lock control rod.

6. In an automobile door, a molding having an aperture, and a door lock having a manually operable lock control member projecting through said aperture and mounted for reciprocation between door locked and unlocked positions and comprising a knob part mounted for rotation between secured and unsecured positions, said knob part comprising a shank of elastic material including a generally annularly disposed lug of generally spiral form projecting radially therefrom for interlocking engagement with said molding at said aperture and adapted to thereby secure the control member against door unlocking movement, said lug having the opposite ends of its spiral form merged gradually into the shank surface and spaced to provide an unbroken longitudinal surface at one side of said shank, whereby upon rotary movement of said knob part between said unsecured and secured positions said lug may be resiliently displaced and fed through said aperture.

7. In an automobile door, a molding having a lug engaging aperture, a door lock having a manually operable lock control member projecting through said aperture and mounted for reciprocation between door locked and unlocked positions and comprising a knob part for rotation between secured and unsecured positions, said knob part having a generally cylindrical shank, and eccentric generally annularly disposed radially projecting lug means on said shank, said lug means having a surface tapered axially of said shank and inwardly toward at least one of its ends for passing said aperture upon rotation of said knob and being adapted for interlocking engagement with said molding at said aperture upon such passage to secure the control member against door unlocking movement, said lug surface being aligned at said one end at an angle to the plane of said aperture when said knob part is in said unsecured position.

8. A manual control knob for an automobile door lock comprising, a body part having a grip portion and a generally cylindrical shank, said shank having a lug part providing a generally annularly positioned surface projecting radially from the main cylindrical form of said shank, said shank comprising means mounting said surface resiliently for displacement radially inwardly of the shank.

9. In an automobile door, a molding having an aperture, and a door lock having a manually operable lock control member projecting through said aperture and mounted for reciprocation between door locked and unlocked positions and comprising a knob part mounted for rotation between secured and unsecured positions, said knob part comprising resilient means and having a generally annularly disposed lug surface biased by said resilient means to project radially of said part but displaceable radially inwardly by elastic deformation of said resilient means, said lug surface being arranged for interlocking engagement with said molding at said aperture and adapted to thereby secure the control member against door unlocking movement, said lug surface being aligned at one of its ends at an angle to the plane of said aperture when in said unsecured position, said lug surface being aligned at its other end at an angle to the plane of said aperture when in secured position, whereby upon rotary movement of said knob part be tween said unsecured and secured positions said lug surface may be resiliently displaced and fed through said aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 167,624 Share Sept. 14, 1875 1,664,820 Hughes Apr. 3, 1928 2,582,237 Dall Jan. 15, 1952 2,676,479 Bethune Apr. 27, 1954 

